In 1967, 25-year-old Rolf Martens won the Swedish Championship playing faster than anyone before. In the Student World Championship he defeated one of the world's ten best players, and at the end of the year he became the first Swede to make an IM-norm. Efim Geller said: "If Martens comes to Moscow, he will become one of the best players in the world." A few years later, he had quit playing to pursue political activism on the far left. It became his vocation for the rest of his life. When Martens' desire for chess returned, it was as an analyst. He founded the Ultra Hypermodern Counter Attack School and has produced more openings than perhaps any other player in history. Rolf Martens - Chess genius, Maoist and rebel is his life story, but also a book for anyone who wants to use his openings.

About the Author
Axel Smith was born 1986 in Lund. being a Grandmaster, Swedish blitz champion 2021 and Nordic champion 2013. Smith has written five chess books and been editor of Tidskrift foer Schack since 2014. Chairman of LASK 2004-07. Dumpster diver and marathon runner at 2:28. Corresponded with Rolf Martens in 2005-08, and became one of the adepts in the UHCA school. Responsible for text, editing, chess and design. Frederik Danelius was born 1962 in Stockholm, being a Master of Laws, notary public, researcher and teacher at Lund and Oslo Universities. Editor of the Nordic Journal of International Law and the Vallingby SS club magazine Schackmattadaren. Author of three collections of sonnets. Co-founder of the drone company Propellerpagarna. Has written mainly The One-Man Party and The Final Word, as well as parts of Rodberg and Malmoe, Private Life and The Last Years . Calle Erlandsson was born 1942 in Vaxjoe, being the General Secretary of LUGI for 30 years, then Financial Officer in Malmoe. Member of LASK since 1963 and club mate with Rolf Martens for 45 years. Honorary chairman of LASK, initiator of Lund Chess Academy and Rolf Martens minnesfond. Chess historian with an extensive picture archive and Scandinavia's largest chess library. Responsible for photographs and game index.

Reviews
Atle Gronn (Dag og Tid): This Swedish biography is probably the best I've seen in the genre. Smith has done a great job with the book. The photos are fantastic and worth the money alone
Skakbladet (Jan Lofberg): A superb biography of the Swedish champion. Wonderful reading. One of the best chess reading experiences I have had. (...) There are certain similarities with Bobby Fischer. Politically, Martens ended up with a one-man army of obsessive-compulsive players, but like Bobby, he was a gift to chess. We can benefit from that in this book, which deserves to be read by a large audience."
Library service (Mikael Huss): Rolf Martens' unusual life has earned him a bit of a cult status in chess circles, which is why this book is very welcome. All the better that it is well researched and contains plenty of interesting details about Martens' life from a variety of sources. (...) For those of us in Sweden who have that interest, this is simply an indispensable book. Overall rating: 5.
Tidskrift foer Schack (Henrik Lindberg): The book is written with a lot of knowledge about, feeling for and love for Martens - and that's certainly not a bad starting point! Few people in Swedish chess have had such a mythological status as the man of rebellion or resistance, Rolf Martens. (...) Martens' life is really made for being documentet, and this well-written and well-researched book illustrates his many sides and peculiarities, both on and off the chessboard.
Chess History & Literature Society (Claes Lofgren): With their new book, the authors have managed to create a worthy monument for this unusual man and player



Book Information
ISBN 9789464201758
Author Alex Smith
Format Hardback
Page Count 384
Imprint Thinkers Publishing
Publisher Thinkers Publishing